Slicking machine



March 17; 1936. w, WRIGHT smcxme MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet l QOM wmw MRN WhN mNm

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SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 17, 1936. w. c WRIGHT SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 rch 17, 1936.

C. WRIGHT SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13', 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 1,6 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 17, 1936. w. c. WRIGHT SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 i It fl Q March 17, 1936. w c wRlGHT 2,034,454

SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 Sheets-Shgt 7 March 17,1936. w. c. WRIGHT SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13', 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 m ANN we lzzvez ai 17, 1936. w. c, WRIGHT 2,034,454

SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 T H m R w Q w SLICKINGI MACHINEI Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet l0 mx m l6 Shets-Sheet 12 1936. w c WRIGHT SLICKING MACHINE Ongmal Flled Aprll 13, 1929 gm, QM Gm March 17,1936. w. c. WRIG.HT 2,034,454

SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 13, 1929 16 ShetS-Sheet 14 ,V I27 06 view h a, h/

ch 17, 1936. w c wm -r 2,034,454

SLICKING MACHINE Original Filed April 15, 1929 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 ,T .44 Z96 4344 45 /z96 llll la; U6 aria? MNM *Nh NNM W C WRIGHT SLICKING MACHINE orlglnal Flled April 13, 1929 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 SLICKING MACHINE Wallace 0. Wright, Brookfield, N.H., assignor to Harding Engineering Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Refiled for abandoned application Serial No.

354,828, April 13, 1929.

llhis application August 11, 1934, Serial No. 739,442

28 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather as set forth in my abandoned application, Serial No. 354,828, filed April 13, 1929, for which this application is a refile. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine specially designed to perform slicking operations upon hides and skins, it is to be understood that the invention and various important features thereof may have other applications and uses.

It is an object of this invention to provide for mechanical treatment of hides, skins, and leather by tools, suitable for the purpose, in such manner as to minimize to a marked degree, the effort and attention required of the operator. As a result, production is increased and an unusual degree of uniformity obtained in the product, it being a well-known fact that in obviating fatigue, both mental and physical, on the part of the operator a very real contribution is made in the direction of increase in production and of maintenance of quality and uniformity in the product. It is a further object of the invention to obviate the danger of injury to the work by the tools, particularly those having relatively sharp edges.

To these ends and in accordance with an important feature of the invention, there is provided power means under control of the operator for causing such relative rotative movement between a plurality of tools and a work support, over which the tools move in straight lines from a central portion of the work support outwardly to marginal portions thereof, so that all portions of the work will have been operated upon when the rotative movement comes automatically to an end at a predetermined point in such rotative movement. An advantage of such a construction resides in the fact that, once a piece of work is introduced in proper position on the work support and the machine started in operation, the given piece of work will be completely treated without further intervention on the part of the operator.

In a preferred construction, work clamping devices will be employed to hold the work against displacement on the work support during the described rotative movement by said power means, connections being conveniently provided between said clamping devices and a manually operable member for controlling said power means by which movement of the work clamping devices to operative position is initiated at the same time that said power means is started in operation. Preferably, each of the work clamping devices has associated therewith a cam member so arranged that one of the cam members operates to cause disconnection of said power means at the same time that all of the cam members operate to effect return of their associated work clamping devices toinoperative or work-releasing position. It will be observed that the provision of work clamping devices has not added to the complexity of the machine operations so far as the operator is concerned, since these devices are so connected to the starting and stopping mechanisms of the machine as to require in their operation no attention or effort upon the part of the operator.

An important feature of the invention resides in improved means provided to insure that the tool will be moved so gradually into contact with the work at the beginning of each work treating operation that the danger of injury to the work by a blow from the tool is obviated. This is of special importance in those cases wherein the tool is a blade having a relatively sharp edge as in unhairing, fleshing, and slicking-out machines. Conveniently, a stationary cam member is provided to lower the tool carrying member gradually to the point where the tool contacts with the work as the latter starts on its operative stroke over the work.

In the illustrated construction each tool is moved toward the work on the work support by a toggle associated with the tool, means, conveniently in the form of stop members, being pro-' vided to straighten the toggle at the beginning of the operative stroke of the tool, and subsequently to break the toggle to terminate the operative stroke of the tool and permit the latter to return idly to initial position. This toggle construction has the advantage of facilitating control of the tool by the operator at any desired point in the operative stroke of the tool. As illustrated, an electrically controlled plunger is mounted to move with the tool during its operative stroke, electrical connections being provided between the plunger and a manually operable member by which the plunger may be caused to operate instantaneously on the toggle to break the latter at any desired point in the operative stroke of the tool, thus terminating said operative stroke and permitting the tool to return idly to its initial position.

These and other important features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will now be described in detail in the specification and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation; Fig. 3 is a plan View from above; Fig. 4 is a right side elevation with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view on the line ||0 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the blade holder on the line of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line |2-|2 of Fig. 7;

Fig. l3'is a section on the line |3-|3'of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a section on the line |4|4 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged elevation of that portion of the apparatus located at the front ends of shafts I84 and 269 in Figs. 4 and Fig. 16 is a section on the line |6|5 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line of Fig. 9;

Fig. 18 is a section along the line |8|8 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 19 is a section along the line |9|9 of Fig. 13.

Referring to the drawings, Ill designates a base plate secured'in position on a floor or other supporting device by bolts N (Fig. 5) passing through holes in the base l0. Secured to or formed integral with the base In at the rear central portion thereof is a hollow pedestal or casing l3 (Figs. 2 and 3) provided at one side with an opening l4 closed ordinarily by a removable cover l5. On the side of the pedestal l3 opposite the opening M is an enlarged portion l6: (Figs. 5 and carrying a centrally located bearing member I! and in which bearing memberis rotatably mounted a hollow hub [8 (Figs. 10 and 17) provided on the end within the casing |3 with a gear IQ for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Rotatably mounted within the hub I8 is a hollow shaft I90 provided at the end within the casing 3 with a flange 20. This flange 20 fits into a recess in one face of a cupshaped member 2| which rotates in a bearing 22 formed on the inner end of the member l6, and the shaft I98 is secured to the cup-shaped member'2l by a plurality of screws 23 passing through the flange 28 into the body of the cup-shaped member 2|. Formed on the inner face of the cup-shaped member and extending diametrically with respect to such cup-shaped member is aslideway 24, this slideway being provided. with a. longitudinally extending centrally arranged groove 25. Slidably mounted on the slideway 24 is a member 26 provided on its outer face with a stub shaft or crank pin 21. This stub shaft or crank pin 21 is rotatably and slidably mounted in a guide 28. extending longitudinally of a lever 29-that is pivotally mounted on a shaft 30 (Figs. 6 and 17) adjacent to the bottom of the casing '3.

The throw of the lever 29 is determined by the relative position of the member 26 on the slideway 24 and this member 26 is adjustable in the following manner. The shaft |90 is hollow and extending therethrough is a shaft 3|, tothe outerend of which is threaded an operating handle 32 (Fig. 17) and by means of which the shaft 3| may be rotated. On the other end of such shaft 3| and within the limits of the 1ongitudinal groove 25 is secured a gear 33 which meshes with and drives an idler gear 34 rotatably mounted in the cup-shaped member 2|, and this gear 34 in turn meshes with and drives a gear 35 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft secured to the cup-shaped member 2|. Secured to the gear 35 is a bevel pinion 36 which meshes with and drives a bevel pinion 31 (Figs. 6 and 1'7) secured to a threaded shaft 38 rotatably mounted at one end in a bearing 39 formed on the cupshaped member 2| and screwing into a threaded hole in the member 26. By rotating the handle 32 the shaft 3| is rotated and, therefore, the train of gears above described. Hence the position of the member 26 on the slideway 24 with respect to the shaft 39 may be altered at will, thereby controlling the amount of oscillatory movement given to the lever 29 about the shaft 30 as a center. Connecting the gear l9 and the cup-shaped member 2| is a member 42.

At the top of the. casing l3 and on the rear end thereof is secured by bolts 43 an extension piece 4| (Figs. 2, 4, 6, 9) and on the extension piece, as well as on the top surface of the casing I3 and on either side thereof, are secured guides 43, (Fig. 17) such guides being secured to the casing |3 by bolts 44. The guides 43 form a guideway in which is slidably mounted a head 45 (Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 17). Mounted in the head 45 is a member 46, adjustable lengthwise of the head by means of a screw 41 and adapted to be clamped in adjusted position by screw 48 and nut 49. In the member 45 is secured a shaft 50 to which is pivotally and slidably attached the upper forked end 5| of the lever 29, the fork portions of the end 5| of the lever 29 having slots therein as indicated in Fig. 17 to slidably receive the ends of the shaft 50. Rotary movement of the shaft I90 causes, through the mechanism above described, an oscillating movement of the lever 29' about the shaft 30 as a center and reciprocating motion of the head 45 on the top of the casing l3. The purpose of this mechanism will be hereinafter described.

Secure-d to the rear of the casing l3, by bolts 52 is a casing 53 and secured to the rear of the casing 53 by bolts 54 is a casing 55 (Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive), such casing 55 housing the commercial form (year 1928) of the well-known Reeves speed reduction mechanism indicated generally by the reference character 56 (Figs. 2 and 4). The details of such mechanism are well known and will not be further described. Associated with and forming part of the Reeves speed controlling device 55 is a shaft 51 (Fig. 4), having secured at one end thereof a sprocket wheel 58. Secured to the base If] adjacent the casing I3 by bolts 59 (Fig. 4) is a motor or other prime mover 60, the driver shaft of which is provided with a sprocket wheel 6| that is in alinement with the sprocket wheel 58 on the shaft 51. Over the sprocket wheels 58 and GI runs an endless sprocket chain 62 and by means of which power is transmitted from the motor 6|] to the shaft 51 of the speed controlling device 56. Also associated with and forming part of the speed controlling device 56 is a shaft 63 (Figs. 2, 3, 4) which has secured at one end thereof a pinion 64 (Figs. 3 and 5). This pinion 54 meshes with and drives a gear 65 (Figs. 3 and 10) rotatably mounted on roller bearings 66 secured in place on a sleeve 67 that in turn is secured in a hub 68 that is formed. integral with or secured to the casing 53 and at one end thereof. Secured to the outer end of the hub 68 by bolts 69 is a casing I that encircles the gear 65 and pinion 54.

The end of the casing remote from the hub 68 is open and normally closed by a cover plate II (Fig. 10) removably held in position by screws I2. Formed on the inner face of the cover plate II and concentrically arranged with respect to the axis of the gear 65 is a brake surface I3. Arranged on the face of the gear 65 adjacent and concentrically with respect to the brake surface I3 is a clutch surface I4 that is also concentrically arranged with respect to the axis of the gear 65. Associated with the brake surface I3 and the clutch surface I is a combined clutch and brake drum 75, this brake drum being adapted to be brought into association with either the brake surface I3 or the clutch surface I4. Rotatably mounted in a sleeve I6 (Fig. as one bearing member and in a bearing a secured in the member 5-3 is a hollow shaft TI, to the end of which, adjacent the gear 65, is keyed a disc I8. The combined brake and clutch drum 15 is provided with a plurality of perforations through which are slidably mounted a plurality of thread ed bolts 59, such bolts threading into the disc 18, and between the under face of the head of the bolts I9 and the adjacent face of the drum 15 are coiled springs 80, which coiled springs tend to urge the combined brake and clutch drum I5 into association with the clutch face 14 on the gear 65.

Secured to the combined clutch and brake drum I5 is a shaft 8I which extends into the hollow shaft TI and has a sliding and rotating fit therein. Also rotatably and slidably mounted in the hollow shaft TI is a shaft 82, one end of which lies adjacent the end of the shaft 8I and the other end extends outwardly beyond the limits of the shaft I! and has secured thereto an adjusting abutment 83. Between the ends of the shafts 82 and 8I is arranged a thrust bearing 84 of any approved form. Secured to the casing 53 and to the casing I5 by bolts 85 or in any other convenient manner, is a housing 86 provided with a cover plate 8's secured in position by screws 83. Lying within the casing 86 and keyed to the end of the'hollow shaft TI is a pinion 89 which meshes with and drives a gear 99 keyed to a shaft 9I, that is rotatably mounted in a ball bearing 92 and a plain bearing 93 in the casing I3. To the shaft 9! is keyed a pinion 92 which meshes with and drives the bull gear I9 heretofore referred to. Assuming for the moment that the combined brake and clutch drum I5 is in engagement with the clutch face I4 on the gear 55 and that the motor 60 is operating, then it will be obvious that power is transmitted from the motor 69 through the train of gearing above referred to so as to drive the gear 65 and such gear, in turn, drives the hollow shaft H with its associated gear 89, such gear, in turn, driving the shaft 9| and consequently the shaft I95. The shaft I90 will, as above described, cause an oscillatory motion of the lever 29 and a reciprocating motion of the crosshead 45 and this motion will continue until power is shut off from the motor 59 or the combined brake and clutch drum i5 is disengaged from the clutch face 35. In order to insure a quick stopping of the gear 59 and parts associated therewith, the mechanism must be devised not only to disengage the combined brake and clutch drum I5 from the clutch face 10 but to move such combined brake and clutch drum I5 into engagement with the brake surface I3 on the cover ll.

Secured to the cover plate 81 (Fig. 10) by bolts 94 is a bracket 95, such bracket having formed therein a cylindrical recess 96 in which is slidably mounted a piston 91. Secured to the piston 97 is a piston rod 98, such piston rod passing through a perforation in the end of the bracket 95. Secured to the end of the piston 91 remote fro-m the piston rod 90 is an adjusting mechanism 99, this adjusting mechanism being separated from the adjusting mechanism 83 above described as being attached to the shaft 82. R0- tatably mounted in the bracket 95 is a shaft I00 to one end of which is secured a hub I 0| that has formed integrally therewith a radially extending member I92 which normally fills the space between the adjusting devices 99 and 83. Within the cylindrical recess 95 and behind the piston 91 is a coiled spring I03 which tends constantly to urge the piston 91 and all parts connected thereto outward of the cylindrical recess 96 or to the left, as viewed in Fig. 10, thus maintaining the adjusting member 99 in engagement with the laterally projecting member I02. The outer end of the piston rod 98 is reduced in diameter and threaded as indicated at I04, and adjustably mounted on such threaded end by means of nuts I05 is a trip arm I95. Secured to the bracket 95 is a shaft I01 on which is rotatably mounted a lever, one arm I09 of which may be placed in the path of movement of the trip arm I06, while to the other arm H0 is attached one end of a spring II I, the other end of this spring engaging in a recess in the bracket 95. The spring IiI always tends to rotate the lever shaft i l in a clockwise direction so as to bring the arm I09 of the lever into the path of movement of the trip arm I 06 and when the lever arm I09 is moved out of the path of movement of the trip arm I56, the force of the spring I03, will move the piston 97 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 10, causing the laterally projecting member I02 to force the shaft 82 to the left also as viewed in said Fig. 10, and this movement is transmitted to the shaft 8I connected to the combined brake and clutch drum I5, which will, therefore, be moved against the tension of the springs 80 to the left, thus moving the combined brake and clutch drum 75 out of engagement with the clutch face I4 and into engagement with the brake surface 13. Conversely, if the piston 91 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 10, the springs 89 will cause a movement of the combined brake and clutch drum 15 to the right, moving the same from engagement with'the brake surface 73 and into engagement with the clutch surface Ifi, thus connecting the hollow shaft H with the train of gears 64-65 to continue the movement above described. Formed integrally with the bracket 95 is a bearing I I I Secured'to the base I9 by bolts H2 is a bracket H3 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6) and at the top of this bracket is formed a bearing H5 (Figs. '3, l, 5) which is in alinement with the bearing III' on the bracket 95. R0- tatably mounted in the bearings Ill and H4 is a shaft H5 and secured to the end of this shaft at the end adjacent to the bearing H4 is an operating lever I 55 and by means of which the shaft H5 may be rotated. Secured to the shaft I I5 adjacent to the bearing III is a member H'I (Figs. 4 and 9) which is adapted to engage with the trip arm I06. It is obvious, therefore, that if the lever H6 is operated to rotate the shaft H5 in the proper direction the member II! thereon, engaging with the trip arm I06, will move the same and, therefore, the piston 91 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 10, allowing the springs 80 to function so as to bring the combined brake and clutch drum I5 into engagement with the clutch face 14.

Secured to the bracket 95 is a carrier I i8 (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 9, on which is mounted a solenoid II9. Associated with the solenoid H9 is a plunger armature I29 (Fig. 10) which is adapted to engage with the arm N9 of the lever above referred to when the solenoid I19 is energized. Attached to one end of the plunger I20 is one end of a coiled spring I2I, the other end being attached to a pin I22 secured to the carrier H8 and which spring returns the plunger armature I20 to its normal or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 10, when the solenoid I I9 is de-energized. Secured to the shaft I00 remote from the hub IOI is an arm I23 (Fig. 10) provided on its outer end with an arcuate slot I24 and to which is adjustably secured a clevis I25. Secured to the clevis I25 is one end of a rod I26 and to the other end of this rod is secured a clevis I21. The clevis I21 is pivotally attached by shaft I28 to one end of a link I29 (Figs. 3, 5, and 10), this link being pivotally attached at its other end to a bracket I30, secured by bolts I3! to a pedestal and casing I32, which pedestal will be described in detail hereinafter. Secured to and forming part of the link I 29 is an arm I33, which has rotatably mounted on its outer end a roller I34 adapted to be engaged by a cam I35 carried by a member 136 that in the illustrated construction is carried by a table I52. The normal operation of the cam I 35 will cause a rotary movement of the link I29 (Figs. 3 and 5) on the bracket I39 and, therefore, a rotary movement of the shaft I (Fig. 10) so as to bring the member I02 thereon into engagement with the member 83 on theshaft 82, causing thereby a movement of such shaft 82 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 10, and a movement of the combined brake and clutch drum 15 to the left away from the clutch face 14 and into engagement with the brake surface 13, and this operation will occur without disturbing the setting of the piston 91 by any of the devices above described.

In front of the casing I3 and in the base I0 is formed a depression I 36 (Fig. 7) and secured to the top surface of the base I0 and surrounding the depression I is the casing or pedestal I32. Bolts I38 (Fig. 1) are utilized to hold the casing or pedestal I32 in position. The upper face of the casing or pedestal I32 is provided with a circular opening and in said opening is located a ball bearing I40, (Figs. '1 and 16) this I'twring being held in position by a top annular pmte. I4I, a bottom annular plate I42, and a plurali\ y of bolts I43, extending through the bottom plate I42, the material of the upper face of the pedestal I32 and screwing into holes in the top plate MI. The lower surface of the casing or pedestal I32 is also provided with a centrally arranged orifice in which fits a bottom plate I44, such bottom plate being secured to the under face of the pedestal or casing I 32 by bolts I45. The central portion of the bottom plate I44 is perforated and countersunk to receive a ball bearing I46 held in position by an annular collar M1, that is secured to the under face of the bottom plate I44 by bolts I48. The ball bearings I and I46 are in vertical alinement with respect to each other and in such bearings is rotatably mounted a hollow vertical shaft I49, this shaft being provided at its top end with a circular flange I50, to which is secured by bolts I5I, the table I52 of suitable shape and dimensions. The lower end of the central hollow shaft I49 is threaded to receive a collar I53 by means of which such shaft is retained in position with respect to the ball bearings I40 and I46. The pedestal I32 is provided on its front side with an opening through which the mechanism in the interior may be adjusted, and such opening is closed by a removable door I55 (Fig. 1). Surrounding the member I49 between the bearings I40 and I46 and keyed thereto by a key I56 (Fig. '7) is a sleeve I51, such sleeve being provided adjacent its top end with a flange I58. Secured to said flange by a plurality of bolts I59 is a cylindrical index plate I50 (Figs. 5, 7, 15 and 16), such index plate being provided about its periphery with equally spaced cone-shaped indentations I6I, there being as many of these indentations I6! as it is desired to have positions on the table I52. That is, if it is desired to have the table I52 rotate through a complete revolution in twelve steps, there will be twelve of the indentations I6I equally spaced about the outer periphery of the index plate I60.

Secured to the outer surface of the pedestal I32 and at one side thereof by bolts I62 is a bracket I63 (Figs. 7, 15 and 16) .and in such bracket is slidably mounted, in a horizontal plane and radially with respect to the sleeve I51, a hollow plunger I64, which hollow plunger has its forward or inner end tapered, as indicated at I65, to fit the taper of the wedge-shaped indentations I 6I. the interior is located a coiled spring I66 and in such interior is slidably mounted a cylindrical plug I61, the inner end of which engages with the spring I66. Secured to the bracket I63 by bolts I68 is a bracket I69, having a threaded hole therein in axial alinement with the axis of the member I64 and in such threaded hole is arranged a screw I10 provided with a locking nut I'll for locking the same in adjusted position. The end of the screw I10 engages with one end of the slidable plug I61 and is utilized to adjust the tension of the spring I 66. The spring I66, therefore, yieldingly holds the tapered end I65 0f the member I64 in engagement with one of the indentations IEI and thus holds the table I52 in adjusted position. The end of the member I 54 remote from the tapered point I65 is enlarged, .as indicated at I12, and is provided with diametrically arranged laterally projecting pins I13 (Figs. 15 and 16). Secured to the side of the pedestal I32 by bolts I14 (Fig. 15) and beneath the bracket I63 is a bracket I15 and on this bracket are formed bearing members I16 and in which bearing members is secured a shaft I11. Rotatably mounted on shaft I11 is a lever I18, provided at one end with a forked member I19, the tines of the fork being provided with hooks I86 that encircle the pins I13. Secured to the other end of the lever I18 by bolts I8I (Fig. 16) is a cam plate I82 adapted to be engaged by a cam I83 secured to a shaft I84 that is rotatably mounted in a bearing I85 (Fig. 15) formed on the bracket I15. Secured to the casing I3 by bolts i85 (Fig. 9) is a bracket I86, this bracket being provided with an extension I61 (Figs. 4, 9 and 10) to which is secured, by bolts I66, a bearing I89 in which is rotatably mounted one end of the shaft I34 (Figs. 4, 9, l5, and 16). Secured to the end of the shaft I84 adjacent the bearing I89 is a beveled pinion I9I, which meshes The plunger I64 is hollow and in 

